R class 4-6-4

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Twitter

Heraldsunphoto ‏@heraldsunphoto 6 hours ago

A steam train arriving at Southern Cross station. Picture: Jake Nowakowski #heraldsun #ste... http://ift.tt/1Mv5YTx 

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Twitter

Steamrail Victoria ‏@SteamrailVic  6 hours ago

And R711, the Spirit of Bendigo, is tucked into the Newport sheds after an epic Snow Train day. Thanks everyone!



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Goodnight!  Sleep tight!!   

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At Murrumbeena, my Melbourne home station (so to speak) ...  drifting slowly along behind a sparks ..

Murrumbeena will be gone as we know it when grade separation is done.

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R711 & R761 Traralgon Snow Train 2015

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R711 in full flight ..

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^ Coming back

Snow Train (steam train) Murrumbeena 23/07/2016 8:22PM

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2016 Snow Train

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Steamrail Snow Train 23 July 2016

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Snow Train 2016 #2 (today)

pic.twitter.com/FsY8d3OjYo

— Declan Martin (@declanmartin75) August 6, 2016

On the move through Murrumbeena ..

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Springvale

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7 Aug 2016 Snow Train #2

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R700 at Geelong 1957

Photograph P G Dow

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The Standard -->  Steam train on track for Warrnambool visit

The R711 train during one of its visits to Warrnambool.

The former West Coast Railway steam engine will return to Warrnambool for the first time in 16 years on Saturday.

The vintage R711 will arrive about 1.30pm before returning to Melbourne about 6.55pm, and people will get the chance to watch the engine in action when it is placed on the turntable shortly after its arrival.

"Warrnambool hasn't seen a steam train since 2004 and this one hasn't been here since 2002," train enthusiast Eddie White said.

The steam engine regularly visited during the 1990s.

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https://twitter.com/vicrailnews/status/995616465226153989

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The Standard --> Mates fulfill train driver's dying wish on steam journey to Warrnambool

Trevor Kruger always said that when he died he wanted his ashes to be put through the firebox of a steam train while it was travelling through Garvoc, and on Saturday he got his wish.

His sister Jenny Doreian and sister-in-law Kath Kruger watched from the guard's van of the R711 as the smoke went past.

"It was emotional. It's a beautiful thing," Mrs Doreian said.

"He wanted to be put into the firebox and chuffed out coming up the hill at Garvoc. This is what he's always wanted to do.

"Trains were his life. He was train mad."

In December 2016, Mr Kruger was in Albury to train a young train driver when, after having lunch with the station master, he had a heart attack and died in the car park of the shopping centre aged 63.

"The people of Albury were just absolutely wonderful how they came to his aid," Mrs Doreian said.

She said one lady, who noticed her brother wasn't well, helped him test his blood sugars after he told her he thought he might be having a diabetic episode.

"He just sort of faded away and some other people pulled him out of the car and called the ambos but there was nothing that could be done," she said.

For almost 18 months Mrs Doreian has kept her brother's ashes knowing his friends had promised to fulfill Trevor's final wish.

"His mates knew all about it and said they'd make it happen and get the appropriate authority," she said.

"True to their word they did that, and I think they're all wonderful people."

Mrs Doreian said her brother had always wanted to drive a train, right from when he was little and would run out on to the road to watch the steam train go past the end of the street in Dennington.

She said her parents made sure Trevor finished school and sat the bank exam just in case his didn't like the railways.

But at 17 he joined the railways after "blowing away" the instructors with his knowledge of all things train-related.

"He was absolutely besotted with trains," Mrs Doreian said.

"He told mum one day he was just so happy he'd be prepared to just wash the windows of the train."

Mr Kruger, who worked for the railways for more than 45 years, ended up as one of V/Line's top driver instructors, she said.

He would regularly drive trains to Warrnambool where he would visit his parents.

"They'd go down and see him off at the station and then they'd get in the car and go out and wave to him at the crossing at Allansford," she said.

On trips to Albury he would slow the train down so it arrived at the station exactly on time.

"He was very dedicated to his job and we're all very proud of him," Mrs Doreian said.

"Trevor was well known up and down the lines – he had a great wit, very funny, a true gentleman."

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https://twitter.com/WboolStandard/status/996930594457219074

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https://twitter.com/LukeHildred/status/1010313788279549952

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R707 "City of Melbourne" leads former Freight Australia/Pacific National H Class #H5 and Preserved 1st Series T #T413 "Steve Gibson" on a Down 707 Ops/Steamrail tour to Sale as it goes through the new Carnegie "Skyrail" station 23/6/2018

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https://www.gofundme.com/steam-loco-r766-restoration

Steam Loco R766 Restoration

Help us return Victorian Railways steam locomotive R766 to the rails! R766 is the first steam loco in Australia to be gauged-converted from VR broad gauge to NSW standard gauge.  The work is done, however we need to raise funds for an ICE Radio — the essential communication device enabling the locomotive to operate on the mainline in NSW and Victoria. Once we have the radio, mainline trials of the locomotive can commence. The sooner we raise funds, the sooner R766 will run on the mainline once again! Please help our cause

Donations over $300 are eligible for pre-ticket sales for the first mainline tour.

Donations $1000 and over will receive a complimentary ticket and cab ride on R766 in its first year of operation. 

Donations of $5000 receive a shift with a crew in the cab of R766 and complimentary first class compartment on the tour.

See our video update:

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" .. R766 in steam today at the Hunter Valley Railway Workshops for testing. Exciting times for the big standard-gauge Hudson! .. "
11th March 2020

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https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=577781586161783

" After well over a decade in restoration and conversion to standard gauge.
R766 is making its first movements under steam in NSW as part of testing and trials.
Congratulations to project manager Mark Stapleton and his team on this major achievement. 11-3-2020 .. "

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The R Class was built with a design that enabled conversion to standard gauge if the need ever did arise.  First design concepts were done in 1943 and it was not until 1951 till the first Rs were on the rails.

It is remarkable that in 2020 one has been converted from 5' 3" to 4' 8.5".

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R711 and R761 are seen departing Melbourne's Southern Cross Station at dawn (6:56am to be precise) on Wednesday 19th of May 2021, on the first day of the Southern Steam Spectacular - a multi day event run by Cruise Express, using trains chartered from Steamrail Victoria.

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Following an extensive overhaul, including regauging from 5'3" to standard gauge, ex Victorian Railways R 766 undergoes trials at Rothbury. This magnificent locomotive will undoubtedly prove very popular as a valuable  member of the "Picnic Train" fleet, a credit to those who've worked so hard to return it to service.

R 766 runs trials at Rothbury , NSW, 24-7-21

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On the 31st Steamrail and Vline operated their driver training with a trip up the straight to Ballarat. This included R761 and V/line H sets travellin to Ballarat and back. V/line carriages haven't been steam hauled since the late 1990's.



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Steam Hauled V/Line Carriages on the Mainline! (Steamrail's Driver Training Run to Ballarat) | R761
31st July 2021

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R766 on standard gauge mainline today (30th October 2021) for the first time.

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A look at the 1st mainline trial for R766 with The Rail Motor Society's diesel loco 7344. They did 2 runs from Branxton to Singleton and this is part 1 Singleton to Branxton, R766 leading.
30th October 2021

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21st November 2021 - R707 and Y127

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Welcome back R766. The Picnic Train #picnictrain #R766

(now on standard gauge)

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https://twitter.com/danielbowen/status/1510020352705024013

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Dungog
Saturday 28/5/22
Mary St road bridge
1:10pm R766 arriving at Dungog with the Picnic Train

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